Elastic fabric.



No. 630,|l0.

Patented Au I899. a. RILEY.

ELASTIC FABRIC.

(Application filed Mar. 11, 1899.)

(No Model.)

n4: NORRIS PETERS cu. wnoroumm wunmnmn. u. c.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE RILEY, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF TlVO-TIIIRDS TO NYE doTREDICK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELASTIC FABRIC.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,110, dated August1, 1899.

Original application filed December 6,1897, Serial No. 660,902. Dividedand this application filed March 11, 1899- Serial No.

708,642. (No specimens.) 7

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatI, GEORGE RILEY, of Leicester, county of Leicester,England, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Elastic Fabrics,of which the following is a specification, being a division of anapplica-' tion filed by me on the 6th day of December, 1897, Serial No.660,902.

This invention has reference to that class 10 of elastic fabrics inwhich is incorporated one or more elastic threads; and the invention hasfor its object the production of a fabric of this character in which theelastic threads will be prevented from slipping and the fab- 1'5 ricprevented from unraveling. To this end the invention consists inapplying to the clastic threads an adhesive composition of suchcharacter that on hardening or setting it will not interfere with orimpair the natural elasticity of the rubber threads-such, for in stance,as an india-rubber solutionthe result being that the elastic threadswill be cemented throughout to the material of the fabric and beprevented from slipping or unraveling, at the same time possessing thefull degree of natural elasticity.

I prefer to embody my invention in a knit fabric, and in the drawings Ihave illustrated the manner in which this may be accomplished inconnection with a circular-knitting machine employing two sets ofneedles and producing the well-known tubular fabric with ribs onopposite sides; but it will be understood that my invention is notlimited in this 3 5v specification to a knit fabric, but is applicableas well to other fabrics in which are incorporated elastic threads.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portionof a cylinder and 40 dial knitting-machine provided with means forcoating the rubber threads with an adhesive composition. Fig. 2 is asectional view showing how the rubber thread is laid in the fabricduringi'he formation of thelatter. Fig. 3 is an elevation of a portionof the fabric. Fig. at is a similar view of the fabric extended to showthe disposition of the elastic threads. Fig. 5 is an edge view, on anenlarged scale, showing how the elastic threads extend between the walesof the fabric.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the cylinder, and 2 the dial, ofthe well-known circular-knitting machine, equipped, as usual, withdial-needles 3 and cylinder-needles 4, the latter as they rise taking athread 5 through a suitable guide 6 and the two sets of needlesoperating on this thread to produce a tubular fabric ribbed on theinside and out. An india-rubber thread 7 is incorporated in this fabricby introducing the same above and back of the cylinder-needles when theyare in their lowered position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a guide 8being sustained adjacent to the cylinder at this point on a bracket 9,fixed to the frame of the machine, and the rubber thread passing throughthis guide from a reel 10, mounted on the outer end of the bracket. Theelastic thread introduced at this point is carried around by therevolution of the cylinder to the point where the cylinder-needles riseto take the thread for the stitches, and as they rise the rubber threadis closed in and held by the cylinder-needles on the front, a dial-loopon the back, as shown in Fig. 2, a dial-needle on the top, and acylinder-loop on the bottom. In this position it progresses to where theknitting is accomplished, at which point new loops are taken on theneedles and the previous loops cast off, and as these loops are castthey close over the rubber thread, which is thus held in the fabricbetween the opposite ribs, as shown in Fig. 3.

The coating of the rubber thread with the adhesive composition iseffected previous to its incorporation in the fabric by passing the samethrough a receptacle 11 containing the coating composition, whichreceptacle is formed in opposite sides with openings for the passage ofthe rubber thread and sustained on the bracket-arm between the reel andthe machine. The thread in passing through the receptacle receives acoating of the solution therein and in this condition is incorporated inthe fabric, as described, the solution on setting or hardening cementingthe thread to the fabric and causing it to adhere throughout its length,by which means it is firmly held and prevented from slipping.

The coating composition should be of such character as not to interferewith or impair the elastic nature of the thread, so that the fabric maypossess the full degree of elasticity. A suitable composition for thispurpose is an india-rubber solution.

From this description it will be observed that I produce a fabric inwhich the rubber thread is connected to the same and held throughout itslength, it being thus effectually prevented from slipping 0r unravelingand this without destroying the elasticity of the thread.

I am aware that it has been proposed to form a composite fabric bycementing together two sheets of textile fabric, between which are laidelastric strips cemented in place; but I believe myself to be the firstto incorporate an elastic thread or threads in the body of a singlesheet of fabric complete in itself in such manner that the threads willbe inclosed by the material of the sheet and to cement these threads tothe material of the fabric.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim istic fabric consistingof a single sheet c0m= plete in itself, as distinguished from acomposite fabric, said single sheet having incorporated Within its bodyand inclosed by the material thereof, an elastic thread or threadscemented to the material of the fabric.

2. A knit fabric having laid in the same, an elastic thread or threadscemented to the material thereof.

3. A knit fabric provided with wales, and having laid in the fabricbetween the wales, an elastic thread cemented to the material of thefabric.

4. A tubular knit fabric having a continuous india-rubber thread laid inthe fabric between the wales and cemented to the material of the fabric.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 14th day of February,1899, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

GEORGE RILEY.

Vitnesses:

WALTER SAMUEL SAVIGE, WM. VAUGHAN ICKE.

